New Delhi: Amnesty International on Tuesday stopped its India operations alleging “witch-hunt” by the Centre. The NGO also let go of its staff after its accounts were frozen earlier this month, thereby bringing its ongoing work to a grinding halt.
In a press statement, the Amnesty International accused government agencies of harassment.
“The continuing crackdown on Amnesty International India over the last two years and the complete freezing of bank accounts is not accidental. The constant harassment by government agencies including the Enforcement Directorate is a result of our unequivocal calls for transparency in the government, more recently for accountability of the Delhi police and the Government of India regarding the grave human rights violations in Delhi riots and Jammu & Kashmir. For a movement that has done nothing but raise its voices against injustice, this latest attack is akin to freezing dissent,” said Avinash Kumar, Executive Director of Amnesty International India.
MHA rebuts charges, says ‘human rights can’t be excuse for defying law of land’
However, the Centre has refuted all allegations, terming it unfortunate, exaggerated and far from truth.
The MHA, in a statement, said “Amnesty International had received permission under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) only once and that too twenty years ago (19.12.2000). Since then Amnesty International, despite its repeated applications, has been denied FCRA approval by successive governments since as per law it is not eligible to get such an approval.”
“All the glossy statements about humanitarian work and speaking truth to power are nothing but a ploy to divert attention from their activities which were in clear contravention of laid down Indian laws. Such statements are also an attempt to extraneously influence the course of investigations by multiple agencies into the irregularities and illegalities carried out over the last few years.” Said MHA in a statement.
